Thematic sessions
-Refugees and displaced persons

April 25, 2023 – This session looked at Canada’s approach to refugees and displaced persons, including stakeholder insights on the challenges, opportunities and solutions. A diverse group of thought leaders participated, including academics and practitioners from humanitarian and resettlement spaces.

Canada’s response to different humanitarian crises was prominent in this discussion, including support for a “principle-based approach” to future responses. It was suggested that Canada could further explore aligning migration responses with foreign policy objectives. The importance of addressing processing times for refugees and displaced people was also noted, including fairness and transparency of decisions. Participants emphasized capacity needs in the system, particularly when required to scale up quickly for urgent responses. It was pointed out that quick access to services, such as health care and mental health support, is critical in supporting refugees and displaced persons.

There was recognition of the strong resettlement ecosystem in Canada, as well as a discussion about the benefits of increased collaboration with non-traditional partners, like the private sector, to help address the needs of refugees.